Bulgaria, Albania key markets to SOCAR’s Balkan energy expansion

Access to diversified gas supplies from Azerbaijan strengthens Bulgaria’s and Albania’s energy security by reducing dependence on single-source suppliers, improving market competition, and supporting industrial stability and economic development. Reliable gas imports also help both countries balance energy transition goals while maintaining affordable and stable energy prices for businesses and households.

South Eastern Europe and Balkans sub-region remain one of the key destinations of strategic outlook of Azerbaijan's state oil company (SOCAR), Murad Heydarov, Executive Director of SOCAR for the Balkans, said this in an exclusive interview with Trend News Agency, CE Report informs.

Speaking about specific projects, Heydarov noted that jointly with its partner – Asarel Group – SOCAR implemented and finalized FEED (Front End Engineering Design) Works for construction of the gas distribution network in Bulgaria’s Panagyurishte.

Moreover, he said SOCAR ended up 2025 with promising results out of the hybrid gasification project supplying compressed natural gas (CNG) to regions not connected to the Bulgargaz network.

"We delivered our gas to 46 industrial and 5 social clients including a mosque and a church in the Ruse province. The overall volume of gas delivered reached almost 80 million cubic meters in 2025," SOCAR Balkan's executive director added.

As for activities in the petroleum products market in Bulgaria, Heydarov said SOCAR is still evaluating commercial opportunities and perspectives amid initial pilot transactions.

He noted that aggregated Azerbaijan Gas Supply Company (AGSC) and SOCAR gas supply volumes to Bulgaria in 2025 amounted slightly below 2 bcma, which is almost the same volume delivered in 2024.

"The projections for this and next years depend on market demand in Bulgaria and our regional gas portfolio."

Talking about SOCAR's activities in Albania, Heydarov recalled that the company presented the NUR pilot gasification project at the public hearing in Korça in the presence of Prime Minister of Albania Edi Rama and Minister of Energy of Azerbaijan Parviz Shahbazov.

Regarding the possibility of SOCAR’s expanding gasification projects to other regions of Albania, Heydarov said this is not envisaged at the initial stage of the project but the company does not exclude to reach out to other locations in the vicinity of Korça city at next stages.

Further expansion of Azerbaijani gas cooperation with Bulgaria and Albania could contribute to long-term energy infrastructure modernization, attract foreign investment into local energy sectors, and support economic growth by creating new industrial supply chains and improving regional energy connectivity.